723.2515/2203: Telegram
The Ambassador in Chile (Collier) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11 p.m.]
110. I saw Mathieu yesterday morning. I think that if you can keep the good offices alive it may be possible to work out a plan of settlement more or less on following lines:
- 1.
- Obtain Peru’s consent to cession of entire Province of Arica to Bolivia.
- 2.
- In consideration of restoration of Province of Tacna to Peru, Peru will consent, as first step to proceedings of your good offices or as simultaneous or anterior collateral proceeding, to Chile’s and Bolivia’s making a contingent preliminary agreement on compensation and economic arrangements.
- 3.
- When Chile and Bolivia have reached accord between themselves, they should report it to you; representatives of Bolivia, Chile, and Peru should then meet and draft protocols necessary. I am sure that Bolivia and Chile will grant Tacna free entry through Arica and will possibly establish regime of interchange of local products between the two provinces. This agreement would provide also for the demilitarization of the Morro of Arica, which might be created an international memorial to the heroic dead and symbol of peace, under international sovereignty.
If in your opinion such a solution seems proper and practicable, I have some hope of obtaining its acceptance very soon and of Chile’s assent to suspension of the plebiscite, either for definite period if negotiations were making favorable progress, or during the negotiations and subject to a resumption of the plebiscitary proceedings whenever a majority of the Plebiscitary Commission shall so vote in a meeting called by its president. Authority of the Commission and general arrangement for holding the plebiscite should be maintained unimpaired.
There is no certainty that Chile would accept foregoing plan; but the possibility of her accepting it is such, provided Peru is likely to accept, that I think it would be a wise procedure for you to sound out Ambassador Cruchaga. If on Tuesday, April 27, or before then, he were to suggest or even to report this plan to Chilean Government for its consideration, such action might avert resolution by Chamber of Deputies, on April 28, to terminate good offices.
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